2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Spied Unadorned

Our Best Look Yet at Jeep's Updated Premium Midsizer

We've been talking about the updates coming for the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee for months, and most of the discussion has been surrounding the reintroduction of a turbodiesel option, but the new Grand will get a few nips and tucks to its exterior to distinguish itself from prior models.

Most noticeable is a new front clip showing a shorter seven-slot grille with slimmer headlamps that appear to employ a similar integrated LED driving light and projector beam design to the Chrysler 300. The foglight surrounds, at least on this Laredo trim, get a metallic bezel. The taillights also get a metallic accent piece around the back-up lights, and the rear loses the horizontal chrome accent piece stretching between the taillights in favor of a bold Jeep logo in the middle of the liftgate. The roof spoiler also is a little more prominent than on the 2013 model, extending slightly further from the roof.

This model appears to be the Hemi, as it has the telltale dual exhaust outlets, but the entire lineup may be getting dual exhausts for 2014, so that detail is not necessarily indicative of what's under the hood. We don't see the "EcoDiesel" badge we discovered several months ago signifying the 3.0-liter VM Motori V-6 under the hood. Paired with the diesel, as well as the Hemi, and possibly the base 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 as well, is a new eight-speed automatic transmission, expected to bring a significant increase in fuel economy across the board.